Editorial - NCHSAA can't ignore the success Jack Holley had

Sunday

Jun 30, 2013 at 11:04 PM

A group of Honorables just gave opponents of opening North Carolina to gas fracking more ammunition.

If halls of fame exist to honor the best of the best, then the best should be represented in there. But many local sports fans are asking themselves why the winningest football coach in North Carolina history has not been awarded a place in the N.C. High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame.The NCHSAA has snubbed Holley once again when it released the list of "100 Coaches to Remember."Oh, there were some fine local names on the list: legendary figures such as Leon Brogden and Buck Hardee, and groundbreakers such as Hoggard High School's Sheila Boles, the first woman in the state to coach a boys varsity basketball team.But somewhere along the line, Holley has been overlooked – repeatedly.Never mind that he racked up 412 wins over 44 seasons, more than any football coach in state history, posting just 96 losses (and six ties).It was impressive enough that ESPN's website listed him as eighth in the nation in overall victories.More telling was the response from his former players when they found out he was ill. Many wrote or came hundreds of miles to see him, to tell him what he had meant to them and to remember his role in helping them become the men they are today.Perhaps they will mount a strong campaign to give their mentor the honor that has eluded him. But the NCHSAA is fully aware of Holley's achievements.

A group of Honorables just gave opponents of opening North Carolina to gas fracking more ammunition. Usurping what was supposed to be the duty of the N.C. Mining & Energy Commission, a Senate committee has decided that shale companies needn't bother to tell us what toxic chemicals they plan to inject into our soil and groundwater as they search for natural gas deposits."Don't worry," the senators assure the industry. "We trust you."That's right, trust that companies seeking to extract a profit from the earth beneath shale-rich parts of the state won't cut corners or use chemicals that could pollute our soil and drinking water, or harm public health. North Carolinians know from experience that "trust us" is not a valid environmental policy. And while the topic of oil and gas exploration is often painted as a liberal-vs.-conservative issue, the desire to protect our families, our health and our surroundings is a universal theme.The shale oil industry assures us that the process is perfectly safe, but studies from areas where fracking has occurred are less conclusive, and some point to pollution or seismic concerns. The commission, whose composition makes it likely to be friendly to the industry, had pledged to draft strong and comprehensive fracking rules in advance of any hydraulic fracturing permits.But the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources – you know, the one that is supposed to be attuned to protecting the environment and our natural resources – overwhelmingly voted to exclude disclosure of the chemicals used from those rules. Only in the event of a disaster would the companies have to reveal what's in the stuff they're shooting into the ground – and then only to state regulators.Concern about trade secrets is a ruse. Regulations can respect the need for companies to keep their secret formulas from competitors while still ensuring that the public's health, safety and right to know whether the chemicals in use can harm people, animals or the environment. "Trust them" does not answer those important questions.

While state officials seem to be working to build more landfills, New Han­over County officials are looking for ways to keep more waste out of its very expensive, lined landfill. The latest development is good news for weekend gardeners in the unincorporated area who have been frustrated at the lack of options for disposing of their pruned limbs, fallen leaves and lawn clippings.This past Thursday the landfill on U.S. 421 near the Pender County line began taking yard waste from New Hanover County residents – for free during the six-month trial. Eventually there may be a charge if the volume requires hiring a contractor to grind it into mulch. The decision makes sense. Many residents ignored or were unaware of the policy against dumping yard waste in the landfill, and given that most homeowners mow and like to keep trees and shrubs looking neat, it's one more service that is available. Bags filled with yard waste represented 8.5 percent of the landfill waste in a recent study; it's only logical to collect it separately, grind it and maybe even use it for low-cost compost to cover the rest of the stuff buried in the landfill.

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